Chapter 3

True-False
3.1 If preferences are transitive, more is always preferred to less. Ans.: False 3.2 If some one has the utility function U 1000 min{x, y} , then x and y are 2 perfect complements for that person. Ans.: True 3.3 A consumer with convex preferences who is indifferent between the bundles (1,2) and (9,6) will like the bundle (5,4) at least as well as either of the first two bundles. Ans.: True 3.4 A consumer with convex preferences who is indifferent between the bundles (2,3) and (10,9) will like the bundle (6,6) at least as well as either of the first two bundles Ans.: True 3.5 If there are two goods, if a consumer prefers more of each good to less, and if she has diminishing marginal rate of substitution, then her preferences are convex. Ans.: True , x1 ,MRS , MRS=dx2/dx1 x1 MRS , x2 , (diminishing marginal rate of substitution) 3.6 If preferences are convex, then for any commodity bundle X, the set of commodity bundles that are worse than X is a convex set. Ans.: False 3.7 The marginal rate of substitution measures the distance between one indifference curve and the next one. Ans.: False

3.8

1/2 Ambrose has an indifference curve with equation x2 - 4 x1 . When 20

Ambrose is consuming the bundle (4,16), his marginal rate of substitution is -5 / 4 . Ans.: False MRS= dx2/dx1 = -2x1-1/2 (x1,x2)=(4,16), x1=4, MRS, MRS=-2 x (1/2) = -1 3.9 Nancypsychology teacher will give her a course grad that is the maximum of s her scores on three midterm examinations. Nancy has convex preferences over the possible combinations of midterm scores. Ans.: False 3.10 Fanny consumes goods x and y. Her indifference curves are described by the formula y k / ( x 7) . Higher values of k correspond to better indifference curves. Which of the following is true? (a) Fanny likes good y and hates good x. (b) Fanny prefers bundle (8, 9) to bundle (9, 8). (c) Fanny prefers bundle (9, 5) to bundle (5, 9). (d) Fanny likes good x and hates good y. (e) More than one of the above statements are true. Ans.: B 3.11 Heidi consumes goods x and y. Her indifference curves are described by the formula y k / ( x 6) . Higher values of k correspond to better indifference curves. Which of the following is true? (a) Heidi likes good y and hates good x. (b) Heidi prefers bundle (10, 15) to bundle (15, 10). (c) Heidi prefers bundle (9; 8) to bundle (8; 9). (d) Heidi likes good x and hates good y. (e) More than one of the above statements are true. Ans.: B 3.12 George's indifference curves are circles, all of which are centered at (18, 20). Of any two indifference circles, he would rather be on the inner one than the outer one. Which of the following is true? (a) George's preferences are not complete. (b) George prefers (24, 26) to (14, 17).

(c) George prefers (14, 26) to (14, 17). (d) George prefers (16, 19) to (23, 26). (e) More than one of the above statements are true. Ans.: D satiation ,, 3.13 Yoram's indifference curves are circles, all of which are centered at (12, 19). Of any two in-difference circles, he would rather be on the inner one than the outer one. Which of the following is true? (a) Yoram's preferences are not complete. (b) Yoram prefers (18, 25) to (8, 16). (c) Yoram prefers(8, 25) to (8, 16). (d) Yoram prefers (8, 17) to (18, 28). (e) More than one of the above statements are true

Ans.: D 3.14 If two goods are both desirable and preferences are convex, then: (a) There must be a kink in the indifference curves. (b) Indifference "curves" must be straight lines. (c) If two bundles are indifferent, then an average of the two bundles is worse than either one. (d) The marginal rate of substitution is constant along indifference curves (e) None of the above. Ans.: E

3.15

If there are only two goods, if more of good 1 is always preferred to less, and if less of good 2 is always preferred to more, then: (a) Indifference curves slope downwards. (b) Indifference curves slope upwards. (c) Indifference curves may cross. (d) Indifference curves could take the form of ellipses. (e) None of the above. Ans.: B 3.16 If two goods are perfect complements: (a) There is a bliss point and the indifference curves surround this point. (b) Consumers will only buy the cheaper of the two goods. (c) Indifference curves have a positive slope.

(d) None of the above. Ans.: D 3.17 Preferences are said to be monotonic if: (a) All goods must be consumed in fixed proportions. (b) All goods are perfect substitutes. (c) More is always preferred to less. (d) There is diminishing marginal rate of substitution. (e) None of the above. Ans.: C 3.18 Charlie's indifference curves have the equation xB constant / xA , where larger constants denote better indifference curves. Charlie strictly prefers the bundle (10, 19) to the bundle: (a) (19; 10). (b) (11; 18). (c) (15; 15). (d) more than one of these bundles. (e) none of these bundles. Ans.: E 3.19 Charlie's indifference curves have the equation xB constant / xA , where

larger constants denote better indifference curves. Charlie strictly prefers the bundle (9, 19) to the bundle: (a) (19, 9). (b) (10, 18). (c) (12, 15). (d) more than one of these bundles. (e) none of these bundles. Ans.: E 3.20 Ambrose has indifference curves with the equation xB = constant - 4x11/ 2 where larger constants correspond to higher indifference curves. If good 1 is drawn on the horizontal axis and good 2 on the vertical axis, what is the slope of Ambrose's indifference curve when his consumption bundle is (16, 9)? (a) -16/9 (b) -9/16 (c) -0.50

(d) -13 (e) -4 Ans.: C Ambrose has indifference curves with the equation x2 = constant - 4x11/ 2 where larger constants correspond to higher indifference curves. If good 1 is drawn on the horizontal axis and good 2 on the vertical axis, what is the slope of Ambrose's indifference curve when his consumption bundle is (9, 14)? (a) -9/14 (b) -14/9 (c) -0.67 (d) -17 (e) -3 Ans.: C 3.21 3.22 If we graph Mary Granola's indifference curves with avocados on the horizontal axis and grapefruits on the vertical axis, then whenever she has more grapefruits than avocados, the slope of her indifference curve is -2. Whenever she has more avocados than grapefruits, the slope is -1/2. Mary would be indifferent between a bundle with 11 avocados and 23 grapefruits and another bundle that has 19 avocados and: (a) 15 grapefruits. (b) 19 grapefruits. (c) 11 grapefruits. (d) 13 grapefruits. (e) 14 grapefruits. Ans.: D 3.23 In Professor Meanscore's class, the first midterm exam and the second midterm exam are weighted equally toward the final grade. With the first midterm's score on the horizontal axis, and the second midterm's score on the vertical axis, indifference curves between the two exam scores are (a) L-shaped with lines extending upward and to the right. (b) L-shaped with lines extending downward and to the left. (c) parabola shaped. (d) straight lines with slope -1. (e) straight lines with slope -2.

Ans.: D 3.24 Professor Stern's colleague, Dr. Schmertz, gives one midterm exam and a final exam. He weights the final twice as heavily as the midterm to determine the course grade. No grades can be dropped. If the midterm score is represented on the horizontal axis and the final score on the vertical axis, and if a student in Dr. Schmertz's class cares only about her course grade, her indifference curve is (a) a line with slope -2. (b) a line with slope -1. (c) a line with slope -0.5. (d) L-shaped with the kink at (x, 2x). (e) L-shaped with the kink at (2x, x). Ans.: C 3.25 I prefer 6 apples and 1 orange to 5 apples and 2 oranges. From this we can conclude that (a) my preferences are transitive. (b) my preferences are complete. (c) my preferences are convex. (d) my preferences obey the Law of Demand. (e) none of the above. Ans.: E